


[she's] the fulcrum between us two

by sandpapersnowman



Series: Janey Springs' Emporium o' Fics [4]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Bonding, Developing Relationship, Flirting, Other, Secret Crush, if your cat likes someone u just gotta trust their instincts fl4k thats just how it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21727492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandpapersnowman/pseuds/sandpapersnowman
Summary: "Her name is Broodless.""'Broodless'?" he squawks. "That's a terrible name, friend. What would'y've namedme, 'No-Family-One-Eye-Man'?""You're bold to assume I'd take any responsibility for you," FL4K says flatly, and Zane makes another indignant noise.
Relationships: FL4K/Zane Flynt
Series: Janey Springs' Emporium o' Fics [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1004580
Comments: 4
Kudos: 212





	[she's] the fulcrum between us two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheOperativeWord (KitsuneHashiba)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitsuneHashiba/gifts).



> title from the wombats' [Little Miss Pipdream](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/wombats/littlemisspipedream.html)
> 
> sometimes your pet likes the bastard ur fighting a cult with and u are forced to hang out with him, Oops!

"Does it... Bite? Sting? Whatever?"

FL4K chuckles.

" _She's_ perfectly tame," they say, running a metal fingertip gently over the spiderant's crown ridges. "Would you like to pet her?" FL4K asks. "I'm sure she'd enjoy the softer touch of a human."

Zane still hesitates. He's used to horror stories about Pandoran creatures, spiderants included; he can't imagine them as anything other than bloodthirsty insects.

"If she takes my arm off, you're building me a new one, aye?"

FL4K makes an amused noise and nods their head toward the spiderant. 

"Her name is Broodless. Let her smell your hand first."

"'Broodless'?" he squawks. "That's a terrible name, friend. What would'y've named _me_ , 'No-Family-One-Eye-Man'?"

"You're bold to assume I'd take any responsibility for you," FL4K says flatly, and Zane makes another indignant noise.

"Rude!"

"Do you want to pet her or not?"

He _does_ , but he's definitely going to start thinking of better names for their spiderant than _Orphan Bug_.

Zane kneels slowly. As FL4K said to, he holds his hand out at a distance, fingers closed into his palm. 

"Hello, Broodless," he coos. "I'm your Uncle Zane." 

"No he isn't," FL4K corrects, as though she'd understand either of them anyway, but they still sound amused.

"You wanna have a sniff o' me?" Zane continues. Her head tilts up as though she's considering him, then comes closer with quiet taps against the ship floor.

Zane can't tell exactly what she's smelling with, but after a moment of hovering at his knuckles she seems satisfied.

She shoves the point of her face into his palm and nudges up.

"She likes you," FL4K concludes.

"Of course she does," Zane beams, like he wasn't about to shit his pants at the first cool touch of her exoskeleton. "I'm always a hit with the ladies."

"Don't ruin this by talking," FL4K scoffs, but sits down beside Broodless and crosses their legs.

Zane gives them another smirk. He eventually moves into the same position, with Broodless rubbing her head into Zane's hands and making a weird, grinding rumble to show her satisfaction with it.

His caution bleeds out of him with every insistent nudge against his palm. She's a sweetheart despite how vicious he's seen her on the ground, and her head is hard, yeah, but he'd been expecting something sandpapery rather than the smooth, glassy keratin.

After a few minutes, she tiptoes her pointed legs over his lap and settles her front end on his thigh, nestling in with a precious little wiggle. Zane doesn't know how long he'll be comfortable with such a large creature supporting its weight on him, but he'll be damned if he's not going to hold out as long as he can. She's _precious_.

"Spiderants make very good companions," FL4K says softly, reaching out to scritch at her crown as she relaxes. "They're easily domesticated, and have higher-than-average intelligence for an insectoid species."

Zane raises his eyebrows at her in his lap.

"Oh, so you're a smart girl, huh?" he coos, mimicking FL4K's gentle scratchy motions at the back of her crown, too. The clicky-rumbly-good-noises intensify, which he takes as approval.

It takes Zane a second to notice, but FL4K is watching him carefully.

"...What?" he asks.

"What?" FL4K parrots.

"You're staring at me."

Maybe it's his imagination, but FL4K sits up a little straighter.

"I was staring at my girl," they correct.

"Is that what you're calling me now?" Zane teases, leaning briefly closer to give FL4K a smug scrunch of his nose. "I've been called worse, I'll take it."

"You are fully aware I was referring to Broodless," FL4K reinforces. It's a little too quick, and a little too... Defensive?

Are they _flustered_ about Zane messing with them?

"Who says you can't have _two_ special girls in your life?" he asks, pretending to be heartbroken, but it's half-assed. He's been pretty sure FL4K understands the general concepts of human relationships, but have they actually _considered_ them? Like, enough to think about being in a relationship themselves?

They couldn't possibly have considered _Zane_ , though, right? That'd be —

"I can still tell her to eat you," FL4K says, ignoring or avoiding Zane's joke. "She is very close to your vital organs."

Zane's mostly sure they wouldn't do that, but he drops the subject anyway.

" _Rude_."

**Author's Note:**

> i'm also [sandpapersnowman on tumblr](https://sandpapersnowman.tumblr.com/), hmu!


End file.
